Roll-away bed



April 9, 1929.l

Y C. L. MaGlNTOSH ROLL AWAY BED Filed March 2, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Wffmm Apri! 9, 1929 C. L. MaclNTosi-i` 1,708,630

` ROLL AWAY BED Filed March 2, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Y Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES CHARLES LEE MACINTOSH, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Y ROLL-AWAY Jann.

Application iiledl March 2,

The present invention relates to'beds thatl are adapted to be swung between an upright V idle position and a horizontal position for' use, and has for its object to produce a simple and novel supporting mechanism which will permit easy operation of the bed without the use of heavy counterweights or counterpoising means of any kind other than a compara tively small spring or springs.

' In its various forms my invention is applicable to beds mounted on a stationary base or on a base provided with casters that will permit the bed to be moved about with the base when in its elevated position. lVhen a bedk is mountedso as to permit it to be moved about froml place to place it is highly desirable'that the total weight be reduced to a minimum. Therefore, viewed in one of its aspects, the present invention may be said to have for its object to produce a simple and novel bed construction of very little greater weight than an ordinary bed, in which the bed proper may be swung into an upright y position and be moved about from place to place while in that condition. Y

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointedout with fparticularity in the claims; but, fora full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description takenv in Yconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of one of my imo proved beds occupying its horizontal position for use as a bed; F ig. 2 is a central vertical section through the`bed swung into its vertical position; F ig.y 8 is a section taken on line 3-8`of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is an edgefview of a fragment of the connecting rod by means of which portions of the head and foot of the bed are shifted 5' and Fig. `5 is a schematic view illustrating a modiiied form of mechanism.

VReferring to Figs. l to 4 of the drawings, 1 representsa bed frame having a foot end 2 Vand mounted at the head end'on a .wheeled base 3. There are two pairs of swinging supports between the frame and the base, corresponding supports being geared together so that when theffoot endof the frame is raised or lowered, one pair of supports swings faster than the other pair. Tension springs are arranged between each support and the corresponding support of the other pair, tending to draw them together. Therefore, when the foot end of the bed is lifted, the

1927. Serial No. 171,933.

springs assist this lifting operation, making Vit easy to swing the frame into an upright very little effort. One pair of supports consists of two arms 4 and 5 underneath opposite sides of the frame; the upper-ends of the arms being pivoted tothe frame as indicated at 6, and the lower end of each arm being fixed to or forming part of a gear segment 7 rotatably mounted onthe base as indicated at 8. The other pair of supports consists of two arms 9 and 10 placed at opposite sides of the base and eachfixed to a gear segment 11 mounted on the base to oscillate or rotate, as indicated at 12. The freeends of the arms 9 and 10 are connected to the frame by links 13. Between the arms 4 and 9 and between the arms 5 and 10 are springs 14 that are under more or less tension when the two sets of arms are approXimately parallel as they will be when the bed is swung into a vertical position as shown in Fig. 2. The gear segments 7 are of larger radius than the segments 1l so that, since each of the segments 7 meshes with the corresponding segment 11, an angular movement of the' segments 7 is accompanied by a more rapid angular movement of the segments 11. Consequently, when the bed is swung down from thevertical position shown in Fig. 2 the arms 4 and 5 must swing backward and the arms 9 and 10 forward, stretching the springs 14. Then, when it is desired again to raise the bed, the tendency being to swing the frame about the pivotal connection 6 between the frame and the arms 4, and to pull up on the ends ofthe arms 9 and 10 by means of the links'lS, the springs 14 are permitted to apply the energy stored up therein to swing the arms9 and lOin the directions in which they tend to go, therefore assisting in lifting the bed. In other words, each of the arms 9 and l0, with the corresponding link 18, forms a toggle that is straightened as the bed swings up, partly through the direct lifting action of the bed and partly through the action of the springs. Since the arms 9 and 10 are geared to the arms 4 and 5, the latter must swing forward as the arms 9 and 10 swing back. Therefore the pivotal supporting axis of the bed is drawn forward on the base as the bed moves to a vertical position, and is again swung back when the bed is swung down. Therefore the base lies entirely underneath the bed when the latter is in its horizontal Vposition and, in the actot raising thebed, it

is swung forward 'on the base so as to be brought over the center'o't the same and give' stability to the structure when it is pushed` about on its casters. Y l j Beds oi this type'should vhave as little depth V,as possible'when they are raised, and to this ciidlrhave provided means tor' folding in a portion .ot the foot end ot' the bed and also aportio'n-ot the head.: The toot end or section ot thebed is made in two parts, the lower part 16 beinghinged, as indicated 'at 17, to

t-lie lower end 'ot the upperpart Jfor swinging f movements about a horizontal axis. Extending along the inner side ot'oiieV ot the side membersot the bed frame is a connecting rod Y 181slidable in Athe direction ot thelengthoi` tliebed, and connected to the swinging toot Vsection by means of a link 19. Vifil'hen the connecting rod is moved iii one direction, it swings the part/16 underneath the bed.

Above the head end of thev bed isa head portion consisting ot a stationary. lowersection' 20 and an upper sectioii'2l' hinged to the` lowerl sect-ion, as indicated" at 22, torswinging movements about a horizontal axis.l

A lever 23 is hingedbetween its ends to one f side or end otthe head section 20. One end ot this lever is joined to the connecting rodV 1,8 by means of a link 24." There is a slot'25 extending lengthwise ot the lever arm toward its treeend. A piu 26 `on the swinging head section 21 .extends through theslot 25. The parts `areso proportioned that when the con-A necting rod is. movedin one direction, it swings the movable head'frest section into a bed-rame'occuis during the upward swinging movementfot` the-bed, these vsections being returned toQh-eir normal positions at right angles to' the planefofthe bed frame when the bed Ytrame isl lowered; this being brought about lby introducing between the connecting rod 18 and one ot the links 13 a Vlink or strut -v 30,one`end ot whichis pivoted to the connecting rod, as indicated at 31, while the other end is provided'with. a pin'32 extending into a -slot 33 elongated .inthe directionv ofthe lengthv oi' the link 13.' Consequently, whenthe vbed-"is sWungup, the connectingrrodis drawn toward the head end,"causing the movf able toot section and-the movable head sec-` tion -tobe .swung inwardly, until ultimately they occupy positions'paiallelto.the bed trame as shown in. Fig. 2. It will `be seen that space is lett between the bed l:trame and the movable head section,'when the bed is upright, to accommodate. the bedding.

In the construction heretofore described, the bed is shifted backwards bodily, head end irst, as it'is lowered. This is advantageous, in the .case of a roll away bed, in that the wheeled base or truck is carriedwell under-` neath thebedwh'enV the latter is opened; but, in the event thatfit is desired to mount the bed onl astationary base as, tor example, in a closet, a bodily shitting movement ot the bedin the opposite direction. is required, so as to carry the' bed oiit'fot' the closet when it is opened, and return. it' to the closet when it is'iaised.-`

ln Fig. 5 I have illustrated moditication ci' my improved supporting means, whereby the proper shitting movements may be obtained in connection witha bed ladapted to be housed in a closet or the like when notin use. Referring'tothis figure, 40-represents the bed trame, and 41 and 42 represent supporting arms corresponding respectively to thearins A4` and 9 or the arms 5 and 10 of the other l torni. Y Both ot these arms are journalledon the same shaft43, thereby swinging about the same axis instead ot about axes spaced apart from each other; The arm41 'has lined theretova gear segment 44, whereas the arm 43 has on itl a gear segment 45; both of thesesegments having their centers at the pivotal axis of the arms. The segment 44 is oit greater radius than the' segment 45 and meshes with a'toothed wheel'or segment 46 fixedf to a shaft 47` parallel with the shaft 43.

Alsoiixed'to the shaft 47 is asecon'd segment ,orv toothed wheel 48 oflarger-radius than the member 46 and ineshingwith thesegment 45. f It will thus be seen that it either the arm V41 orf the arm 42Vis moved angularly, theV other arm must also I a diffei'entspeed;

The arm 42 is connect-ed to the trame by move angularly but vat a link 49,*wliile-the arm 41 is pivoted directly kbodily towardthelett so that when itfreaches its vertical position, the bed lies well toward the lett of the position occupied by the head endwhen the 4bed* is horizontal.

i In this form of my' invention, as in the other, the supporting arms areV geared togetherso that when one moves angularly the othermust alsoinove, but;` at a different speed;

the counterpoising of the bed being eected by a spring or springs, adding but little to the weight of the structure.

Vhile I have illustrated and described with particularity only two preferred forms of my inventiomI do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a bed adapted to be swung between a horizontal position and an upright position, of two swinging arms at one end of the bed, the arm farthest from the opposite end being pivoted to the bed, a link between the other arm and the bed, gearing between said arms causing the latter arm to swing faster than the other arm when the free end of the bed is raised or lowered, a support for said arms and a tension spring between said arms.

2. In combination, a member to be supported, a support, two swinging arms on said support one of said arms being pivoted to said member, a link between the other arm and said member, anda gear connection between said arms. Y

3. In combination, a member' to be supported, a support, two swinging arms on said support, one of said arms being pivoted to said member, a link between the other arm and said member, and gearing between said arms proportioned to cause them to swing at dierent angular speeds when either is moved.

. 4.-. In combination, a member to be supported, a support, two swinging arms on said support, one of the arms being pivoted to said member, a link between the other arm and said member, a gear connection between said arms proportioned to cause them to swing at diiierent angular speeds when either is moved, and a spring between said arms tending to draw them together.

5. In combination, a bed having a supporting means at one end, two swinging arms at the other end of the bed, a support for swinging arms, one of the arms being pivoted to the bed, a link between the second arm and the bed, gearing between said arms causing them to swing relatively toward each other when the rst end of the bed is raised, and a spring between said arms tending to draw them together.

6. The combination with a bed adapted to be swung between a horizontal and an upright position, of supporting and counterbalancing means l'or one end of the bed comprising a support, two` swinging elements mounted on said support and geared together, connections between said swinging elements and the bed, and a tension spring between said elements.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specilication.

CHARLES LEE MACINTOSH. 

